How Many Games?

[pcarnette]

Hi all.

Some things I read in the "Your advice for improving youth league" thread, and some things going on in my son's current fall ball season have me wondering how many games are approripate for certain age groups?

I agree with the axiom that youth baseball should incorporate two practices for every game played, and, surprisingly, for the first time since my son started playing baseball I think he's at that ratio or above. However, Virginia in the fall can be rainy, and he's already had two weekends rained out and a scheduling conflict that caused them not to be able to play this weekend as well. So now I'm actually concerned that they're not going to be getting enough games in this season. At the moment, they will be fortunate to play ten games this fall.

Anyway, I thought perhaps this would be a good discussion to have. For the various age groups, how many games should they play? For these age groups, should the practice to game ratio stay the same or should there be a very high practice to game ratio at the younger ages and have it steadily descrease as they get older?

[clayadams]

For our Minor's league we have 11 teams. Each team faces the others once. So that leaves 11 games. I'd say we've had about the same # of practices. We've (I'm just a father that helps) put together a few outside our normal schedule as well, but the fields are so overbooked that you can't use the town's fields. I have my own batting cage/pitching mound and I've had kids just come over to my house. With all the teams across all the different leagues, it's almost impossible to have more scheduled practices unless you cut down on the games.

[pcarnette]

clay, I hear you. The fields around here are overbooked as well. My son is playing in a travel league this fall, and so far they've had three double-headers and as many either rained out or cancelled because of scheduling issues. If they get their double-header in this weekend and can win at least one game in the end-of-season tournament, they will have played 10 games, which is a fair number for fall. However, it is less than the 16 I had hoped for.

His team averages three practices and is scheduled to play two games a week, which I think is about as close to the 2:1 practice to game ratio as you can reasonably hope for. I think you're doing the right thing for your son's team by allowing them to have extra practice opportunities. I realized long ago that I will need to supplement team practices with individual ones, so my son is definitely getting that 2:1 ratio.

Unfortunately, the real problem stems from a lack parent's, and sometimes coach's, understanding as to what is good for the kids. Many equate games with practice where they are not the same at all. I'd rather have too many practices and not enough games, as long as my son is enjoying baseball. But I was wondering if there was an ideal number for games kids should play at this age?

[shake-n-bake]

8 football games. Be glued to the MLB races and post seaon. Throw your kid BP on Sunday afternoon.

[pcarnette]

8 football games. Be glued to the MLB races and post seaon. Throw your kid BP on Sunday afternoon.

lol My son has zero interest in football, unfortunately. Fortunately, he is interested in basketball, which will be starting up in December.

[tg643]

For many youth baseball organizations and travel teams field availability is an issue. Our LL provided field access for two practices per week. Teams usually played two games and sometimes three. I held extra hitting practices in the league batting cages during other teams games if we didn't have practice. I worked with any kid who showed up Friday afternoon from 3-5pm while I was practicing with my son.

In middle school my son had three practices and two games per week. In high school he had three practices and three games per week. His 13U to 16U travel teams had two practices and 4-6 tournament games. His showcase team had one BP and one full practice per week with 4-5 games on the weekend.

From machine pitch through high school my son and I did a lot of practice on our own. Sometimes a handful of teammates or friends practiced with him.

[azmatsfan]

clay, I hear you. The fields around here are overbooked as well. My son is playing in a travel league this fall, and so far they've had three double-headers and as many either rained out or cancelled because of scheduling issues. If they get their double-header in this weekend and can win at least one game in the end-of-season tournament, they will have played 10 games, which is a fair number for fall. However, it is less than the 16 I had hoped for.

His team averages three practices and is scheduled to play two games a week, which I think is about as close to the 2:1 practice to game ratio as you can reasonably hope for. I think you're doing the right thing for your son's team by allowing them to have extra practice opportunities. I realized long ago that I will need to supplement team practices with individual ones, so my son is definitely getting that 2:1 ratio.

Unfortunately, the real problem stems from a lack parent's, and sometimes coach's, understanding as to what is good for the kids. Many equate games with practice where they are not the same at all. I'd rather have too many practices and not enough games, as long as my son is enjoying baseball. But I was wondering if there was an ideal number for games kids should play at this age?

If it's a rec league and you try to have 2 games and 3 practices a week I think a lot of parents would complain that it's too much. If it's more serious, than I think that would work.